SEEKH KABAB NOT ATTENTION!

 SEEKH KABABS.

Wooden skewers about 6-8-inches long are the best type of skewers for these kababs. You can use metal or steel skewers, but allow the skewers to cool before shaping the next batch of kababs onto them.

MAKES 18 Kababs

TIME Preparation takes 15-20 minutes, cooking takes 35-40 minutes.

Ingredients:

• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 tbsps chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp dried or bottled mint
• 3-4 tbsps chopped coriander leaves 25g/1oz raw cashews
• 1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped 2 small cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1-2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped or minced, remove the seeds if you like it mild
• 700g/1lb lean mince, beef or lamb
• 2 tsps ground coriander
• 2 tsps ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground ajwain (ajowan or canum) or ground caraway seeds ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp Tandoori colour or a few drops of red food colouring mixed with 1 tbsp tomato purée
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 4 tbsps cooking oil

Grind the following ingredients in a coffee grinder

• 2 tbsps white poppy seeds 
• 2 tbsps sesame seeds

Method / Instructions:

1. Put the lemon juice, mint, coriander leaves, cashews, onion, garlic and green chilies in an electric liquidizer and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
   
   
2. Using the liquidizer, grind the mince in 2-3 small batches until it is fairly smooth, rather like a paste. Add the meat to the rest of the liquidized ingredients in the bowl.
   
   
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the the oil and knead the mixture until all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly and it is smooth. Alternatively, put all the ingredients, except the oil, in an electric food processor and process until the mixture is smooth.
   
   
4. Chill the mixture for 30 minutes.
   
   
5. Preheat oven to 240°C/475°F, Gas Mark.
   
   
6. Line a roasting tin with aluminum foil.
   
   
7. Divide the kabab mix into about 18 balls, each slightly larger than a golf ball.
   
   
8. Mould a ball onto a skewer and form into a sausage shape by gently rolling between your palms (about 4-5-inches long) and place on the prepared roasting tin. Make the rest of the kababs the same way.
   
   
9. Brush generously with the oil and place the roasting tin just below the top rung of the oven. Cook for 6-8 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and brush the kababs liberally with the remaining oil and cook for a further 6-8 minutes.
   
   
10. Allow the kababs to cool slightly before removing them from the skewers.

Best Wishes.